ST. ROSE OF LIMA - PATRONESS OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE PHILIPPINES

The people in the Philippines are presently in wrath because of Janet Napoles stealing of taxes. While she and her family extravagantly spend the wealth came from the taxes of the people, there are families who can hardly eat three times a day. While she's busy fooling the Catholic Church by her so called charity works through giving allowances to Bishops, priests, and communities, she's also busy stealing the portion of people's hard earned money.

I asked, can she really sleep in her comfortable houses? can she really enjoy the ride on her luxurious cars? can she really escape God's wrath hiding on her camouflage? I really don't know how a person like her can survive a day with a rotten conscience. I pity her daughter who, without hesitation, boast of her elegant way of living...Since August 23 is St. Rose of Lima's feast day and since she's honored as Patroness of the Philippines, I would like to share how a beautiful lady, despised admiration and chose to be a humble servant of Christ. A story which Jeane Napoles, and other young woman, should imitate in loving Jesus. 

THE STORY OF ST. ROSE OF LIMA

Feast Day August 23

St. Rose of Lima is the patroness of Latin America and the Philippines. This South American Saint's real name was Isabel, but she was such a beautiful baby that she was called Rose, and that name remained. As she grew older, she became more and more beautiful, and one day, her mother put a wreath of flowers on her head to show off her loveliness to friends. But Rose had no desire to be admired, for her heart had been given to Jesus. So she put a long pin into that wreath and it pierced her so deeply, that she had a hard time getting the wreath off afterward. Another time she became afraid that her beauty might be a temptation to someone, since people could not take their eyes off her. Therefore, she rubbed her face with pepper until it was all red and blistered.

St. Rose worked hard to support her poor parents and she humbly obeyed them, except when they tried to get her to marry. That she would not do. Her love of Jesus was so great that when she talked about Him, her face glowed and her eyes sparkled.

Rose had many temptations from the devil, and there were also many times when she had to suffer a feeling of terrible loneliness and sadness, for God seemed far away. Yet she cheerfully offered all these troubles to Him. In fact, in her last long, painful sickness, this heroic young woman use to pray: "Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase Your love in my heart."

Many miracles followed her death. She was beatified by Clement IX, in 1667, and canonized in 1671 by Clement X, the first American to be so honoured. Her feast is celebrated 23 of August. She is represented wearing a crown of roses.

from Wikipedia

Rose of Lima, T.O.S.D. (April 20, 1586 – August 24, 1617), a Spanish colonist in Lima, Peru, who became known for both her life of severe asceticism and her care of the needy of the city through her own private efforts. A lay member of the Dominican Order, she was the first person born in the Americas to be canonized by the Catholic Church.

Contents

• 1 Biography
• 2 Veneration
  • 2.1 Patronage
• 3 Legacy
• 4 See also
• 5 Further reading
• 6 References

Biography[edit source | edit]

She was born Isabel Flores y de Oliva in the city of Lima, then in the Vice royalty of Peru, part of New Spain, on April 20 1586. She was one of the many children of  Gaspar Flores, a harquebusier in the Imperial Spanish army, born in San Germán on the island of San Juan Bautista (now Puerto Rico), and his wife, María de Oliva, a native of Lima. Her later nickname "Rose" comes from an incident in her babyhood: a servant claimed to have seen her face transform into a rose. In 1597 she was confirmed by the Archbishop of Lima, Turibius de Mongrovejo, who was also to be declared a saint. She formally took the name of Rose at that time.^[1]

As a young girl—in emulation of the noted Dominican tertiary, St. Catherine of  Siena—she began to fast three times a week and performed severe penances in secret. When she was admired for her beauty, Rose cut off her hair and smeared pepper on her face, upset that suitors were beginning to take notice of her.^[2] She rejected all suitors against the objections of her friends and her family. Despite the censure of her parents, she spent many hours contemplating the Blessed Sacrament, which she received daily, an extremely rare practice in that period. She was determined to take a vow of virginity, which was opposed by her parents, who wished her to marry.^[1] Finally, out of frustration, her father gave her a room to herself in the family home.

Stained glass window by Harry Clarke, depicting St. Rose burning her hands in an act of penance, in St. Michael's Church, Ballinasloe, Ireland

After daily fasting, she took to permanently abstain from eating meat. She helped the sick and hungry around her community, bringing them to her room and taking care of them. Rose sold her fine needlework, and took flowers that she grew to market, to help her family. She made and sold lace and embroidery to care for the poor, and she prayed and did penance in a little grotto which she had built. Otherwise, she became a recluse, leaving her room only for her visits to church.^[2]

She attracted the attention of the friars of the Dominican Order. She wanted to become a nun, but her father forbade it, so she instead entered the Third Order of St. Dominic while living in her parents' home. In her twentieth year she donned the habit of a tertiary and took a vow of perpetual virginity. She donned a heavy crown made of silver, with small spikes on the inside, in emulation of the Crown of Thorns worn by Christ.^[2]

For eleven years she lived this way, with intervals of ecstasy, and died on August 24, 1617, at the age of 31. It is said that she prophesied the date of her death. Her funeral was held in the cathedral, attended by all the public authorities of Lima, and with a eulogy by the archbishop.

Veneration[edit source | edit]

Monastery of Saint Rose in 17th-century Lima

Rose was beatified by Pope Clement IX on April 15, 1667, and canonized on April 12, 1671, byPope Clement X, the first Catholic in the Americas to be declared a saint. Her shrine, alongside those of her friends, St. Martin de Porres and Saint John Macías, is located inside the convent of St. Dominic in Lima. The Roman Catholic Church says that many miracles followed her death; there were stories that she had cured a leper. Many places in the New World are named Santa Rosa after her.Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is especially devoted to her^{[citation needed]}.

Her liturgical feast was inserted into the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints in 1729 for celebration initially on August 30, because August 24, the date of her death, is the feast of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle and August 30 was the closest date not already allocated to a well-known saint.^[3] Pope Paul VI's 1969 reform of the Roman Catholic calendar of saints, made August 23 available, the day on which her feast day is now celebrated throughout the world, including Spain, but excluding Peru and some other Latin American countries, where August 30 is a public holiday in her honor.

She is honored together with Martin de Porres and Turibius of Mogrovejo with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA) on August 23.

Early lives of Santa Rosa were written by the Dominican Father Hansen, "Vita Sanctae Rosae" (2 vols., Rome, 1664–1668), and Vicente Orsini, afterward. Pope Benedict XIII wrote "Concentus Dominicano, Bononiensis ecclesia, in album Sanctorum Ludovici Bertrandi et Rosae de Sancta Maria, ordinero praedicatorum" (Venice, 1674).

There is a park named for her in downtown Sacramento, California.^[4] A plot of land at 7th and K streets was given to the Roman Catholic Church by Peter Burnett, first Governor of the State of California. Father Peter Anderson built one of the first of two churches in the diocese to be consecrated under the patronage of St Rose.^[5]

In the Caribbean twin-island state of Trinidad and Tobago, the Santa Rosa Carib Community, located in Arima, is the largest organization of indigenous peoples on the island.^[6] The second oldest parish in the Diocese of Port-of-Spain is also named after this saint. The Santa Rosa Church, which is located in the town of Arima, was established on April 20, 1786, as the Indian Mission of Santa Rosa de Arima on the foundations of a Capuchin Mission previously established in 1749.^[7]

Rose's skull is on public display in the basilica in Lima, Peru. It was customary to keep the torso in the basilica and pass the cranium around the country. She has a crown of roses on her cranium. The skull is displayed with that of St. Martin de Porres, whose skull is also separate from his torso.

Patronage[edit source | edit]

Saint Rose is the patroness of Americas,^[1] indigenous people of the Americas especially of Lima, Peru; the secondary patroness of the Philippines along with Saint Pudentiana; of gardeners; of florists; of Sittard, the Netherlands; of India.

Legacy[edit source | edit]

Parishes dedicated to St. Rose of Lima are located in Buena Vista, Colorado;^[8] Newtown, Connecticut;^[9] Montrose, Illinois;^[10] Gaithersburg, Maryland;^[11] Chelsea, Massachusetts; Roseville, Minnesota;^[12] Rockaway Beach, New York, Massapequa, New York;^[13] Murfreesboro, Tennessee;^[14] Andice, Texas; ^[15] Houston, Texas; ^[16] and Chicopee, Massachusetts. ^[17]

On the last weekend in August the Fiesta de Santa Rosa is celebrated in Dixon, New Mexico.

See also[edit source | edit]

• List of Catholic saints

Further reading[edit source | edit]

• Teodoro Hampe Martínez. "Santa Rosa de Lima y la identidad criolla en el Perú colonial" (essay of interpretation), Revista de Historia de América, No. 121 (January – December, 1996), pp. 7–26

References[edit source | edit]

1. ^ ^a b c Aymé, Edward. "St. Rose of Lima." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 21 Jun. 2013
2. ^ ^a b c AmericanCatholic.org "St. Rose of Lima"
3. ^ Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1969), p. 101
4. ^ Downtown Sacramento Partnership site: St Rose of Lima Park
5. ^ The History of the Sacramento Diocese, second paragraph
6. ^ Santa Rosa Carib Community
7. ^ [1]
8. ^ St. Rose of Lima Parish, Buena Vista, Colorado
9. ^ St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, Newtown, Connecticut
10. ^ http://www.dio.org/parishes/st-rose-of-lima-montrose.html
11. ^ St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Gaithersburg, Maryland
12. ^ St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Roseville, Minnesota
13. ^ St. Rose of Lima Parish, Massapequa, New York
14. ^ St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Parish Murfreesboro, Tennessee
15. ^ Santa Rosa de Lima Church, Andice, Texas
16. ^ St. Rose of Lima Catholic Community, Houston, Texas
17. ^ St. Rose de Lima, Chicopee, Massachusetts

from Wikipedia

Read More

LIFE OF FR. ALOYSIUS SCHWARTZ, A Father & a Saint to Me

I paused for a month due to busy schedules. Today, I have some spare time and think about whose life of saint I will tackle. All of a sudden, I think about  Fr. Al, my spiritual Tatay, my hero, my inspiration. His journey to sainthood has started. I mean the process for his canonization has just started. It's a long way to go before the Catholic Church declare him a saint, but for me and for my other brothers and sisters, and to those whose lives he touched, he's already a SAINT.

Who is Father Al?

He is unknown to many. Only few has learned of his life and I take this duty, as his child, to make him known even not to all but to many people.

Father Al was born on September 18, 1930 in Washington, D.C from his parents Louis F. Schwartz and Cedelia A. Bourassa. He had his elementary education in Holy Name Elementary School, Washington, D.C. in the year 1936-1944. He entered St. Charles Minor Seminary in Catonsville, Maryland on 1944-1948 and has his B.A. Degree in Maryknoll College in Lakewood, New Jersey and Glen Ellen, Illinois from 1948-1952. In 1953, he took Theology in Louvain University, Belgium and finished the degree in 1957. June 29, 1957 was his dreamt ordination to priesthood in St. Martin's Church Washington, D.C. during that time Bishop McNamara was the Auxiliary Bishop of Washington.

His journey to a life dedicated to service of God through the service of men started on December 8, 1957. This was the day he arrived in Korea where he was assigned in the Diocese of Busan, Korea. It was during the time when Korea was at its lowest state due to Korean War. There were many orphans, widows, beggars, street children and unemployed. However, Fr. Aloysius was forced to go back to US after a month of stay due to affliction of Hepatitis. He didn't immediately return to Korea. While working for his recovery, in 1959-1961, he toured U.S. and Europe with a Korean Bishop to raise money for the missions. On March 1961, he established Korean Relief, Inc., fundraising Operation in Washington, D.C.

It was on December 1961, 3 years after, he was able to return. His come back was with a firm purpose of helping people in Korea. He was assigned as a pastor of St. Joseph parish. He lived a life of poverty, serving his parishioners especially the needy. He then organized the Legion of Mary Ladies to assist him in helping the poor.

In 1963-1969 he initiated Operation Hanky Self-help Embroidery Program in Busan, Korea which employed 3,000 slum dwellers.

On August 15, 1964, he founded the Sisters of Mary in Amnamdong Busan, Korea, (originally called the Mariahwe Sisters, a religious group now numbering 300 sisters working in Korea, Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras & Brazil).  This was also the day when he began family-unit orphan program in Busan, Korea. They accepted first group of orphans. On September 1966, opened first dispensary in slums in Busan and in the following year 1967, he opened another two more slum dispensaries in Amnamdong and Bosudong in Busan, Korea. That same year he resigned as pastor and worked full time with the Orphan Program.

His work continued to flourish. His mission was successful which paved way to the establishment of the following charitable institutions: Amni-Dong Free Middle School for Children in Busan, Korea on December 1968; Operation of Kuhoso Sanatorium in Busan, on July 1969;  Amnandong School in Busan, a middle school for boys and became first Boystown Program on October 1969; Sisters of Mary Mercy Hospital, October 25, 1970; Elementary School, Middle School, Technical School, 1972-1976 (All future Boystown/Girlstown Programs would include a fully accredited school program). On January 6, 1981, he began program for 400 severely retarded children and took over care of 1,800 destitute and homeless men in Seoul, Korea who were taking care of by the Society of the Brothers of Christ Religious Order founded by Fr. Al himself on May 10, the same year. On June 29, 1982, the silver year of his priesthood, he built the second Sisters of Mary Doty Memorial Hospital in Seoul, Korea which cater 120 bed full-service hospital which is totally free for the poor.

Fr. Al did not stop where he started. He responded to a more challenging job of spreading his mission to the world. He gave in to the request of Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin to start his noble work in the Philippines. Moved with pity, he founded "heaven on earth" in the Philippines located in Bacood Sta. Mesa Manila which was inaugurated on August 15, 1986. The facility can accommodate 3500 poor deserving children (where I myself is a beneficiary, 10th batch). Other than that, for almost 7 years (1985-1992), The Sisters of Mary operated the Charity Pavilion at Quezon Institute serving 2,000 tuberculosis patients for free until the government closed the facility.

Fr. Al is a hero not only for the children whom he gave shelter, food, education but for all the families he was able to help because of his wonderful deeds.

However, our hero is also human. He was afflicted with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and was diagnosed on October 1989.  Despite his health situation, he did not stop with his charity. He continue working and serving even it's hard for him to move because the sickness tied him up in the wheelchair. He accepted the pain with joy. He treated his sickness as gift so he lived with it fully.He devotedly delivered mass, spending hours in the blessed sacrament, praying the rosary, hearing confessions from the children, inculcating virtues of truth , justice, chastity, charity and humility through his words and example. Despite his physical weakness, the work continued.

On August 23, 1990 another Girlstown Program was inaugurated in Talisay Cebu at full capacity serves 3000 girls. On September 12, 1990, the program went overseas again and was established in Chalco Mexico.  On July 31, 1991, Boystown Program in Silang Cavite was also inaugurated which also serves 3000 youngsters (now Girlstown; Manila campus was moved here; boys were transferred to new facility near it, the Boystown ADLAS Silang Cavite.

SMS FACILITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES:

• The Sisters of Mary Girlstown, Biga Campus
• The Sisters of Mary Boystown, Adlas Campus
• The Sisters of Mary Girlstown, Talisay Cebu Campus
• The Sisters of Mary Boystown, Minglanilla Cebu Campus

The work must continue but our sick founder has to rest. He breathed his last on March 16, 1992 in Girlstown Manila and laid his body in Boystown Cavite. Our benevolent founder died but his service continue to grow. 

Here are the new villages after his death:

• The Villa of the Girls of Chalco Mexico
• The Children's  Village in Acatlan Guadalajara Mexico
• The Sisters of Mary Girlstown Guatemala
• The Sisters of Mary Girlstown Brazil
• The Sisters of Mary Girlstown Honduras

Read More

ST. THERESE OF LISIEUX "THE LITTLE FLOWER"

"What matters in life is not great deeds, but great love." -St. Therese, The Little Flower

For almost 4 years of stay in The Sisters of Mary the most important teaching the nuns inculcated in me is the importance of small deeds offered to God.

I remember how we used to offer:

        the washing of 50pairs of socks every afternoon...

        the pain of kneeling down for an hour or so during station of the cross...

        the difficulty in staying awake during rosary prayer at night...

        the happiness when we got the perfect score in the test...
        the hardship in keeping the mouth shut from 7:30 pm till 7:00 am (silent time)...(being talkative in nature, it's really a big sacrifice)

        the endurance in jogging 3 rounds in the oval or around the campus...

        the little act of kindness extended to our fellow student....

        the practice of virtues of obedience, charity, faith, sacrifice etc...

Every memory is still fresh on my mind and the happiness we felt because of those small offerings for the glory of God is really unfathomable. I've realized in those offering, the simple act became greater because everything was done out of love.

How the sisters came up with such great motivating factor? It's because of St. Therese, The Little Flower. The nuns who are selflessly taking care of the children inside The Sisters of Mary institution follow the life of St. Therese and thus, the children are encouraged to do likewise. 

Learning about St. Therese is a blessing. May you be blessed upon reading her story.

The Story of St. Therese of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church

Feast Day: October 1

Therese Martin was the last of nine children born to Louis and Zelie Martin on January 2, 1873, in Alencon, France. However, only five of these children lived to reach adulthood. Precocious and sensitive, Therese needed much attention. Her mother died when she was 4 years old. As a result, her father and sisters babied young Therese. She had a spirit that wanted everything.

At the age of 14, on Christmas Eve in 1886, Therese had a conversion that transformed her life. From then on, her powerful energy and sensitive spirit were turned toward love, instead of keeping herself happy. At 15, she entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux to give her whole life to God. She took the religious name Sister Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. Living a hidden, simple life of prayer, she was gifted with great intimacy with God. Through sickness and dark nights of doubt and fear, she remained faithful to God, rooted in His merciful love. After a long struggle with tuberculosis, she died on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24. Her last words were the story of her life: "My God, I love You!"

The world came to know Therese through her autobiography, "Story of a Soul". She described her life as a "little way of spiritual childhood." She lived each day with an unshakable confidence in God's love. "What matters in life," she wrote, "is not great deeds, but great love." Therese lived and taught a spirituality of attending to everyone and everything well and with love. She believed that just as a child becomes enamored with what is before her, we should also have a childlike focus and totally attentive love. Therese's spirituality is of doing the ordinary, with extraordinary love.

Therese saw the seasons as reflecting the seasons of God's love affair with us.She loved flowers and saw herself as the "little flower of Jesus," who gave glory to God by just being her beautiful little self among all the other flowers in God's garden. Because of this beautiful analogy, the title "little flower" remained with St. Therese.

Her inspiration and powerful presence from heaven touched many people very quickly. She was canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925. Had she lived, she would have been only 52 years old when she was declared a Saint.

"My mission - to make God loved - will begin after my death," she said. "I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses." Roses have been described and experienced as Saint Therese's signature. Countless millions have been touched by her intercession and imitate her "little way." She has been acclaimed "the greatest saint of modern times." In 1997, Pope John Paul II declared St. Therese a Doctor of the Church - the only Doctor of his pontificate - in tribute to the powerful way her spirituality has influenced people all over the world.

The message of St. Therese is beautiful, inspiring, and simple.

Here are some records of miraculous intercession of St. Therese to those who believe in her...

Intercessions of St. Therese

Read More

ST. JANE FRANCES DE CHANTAL

When I was still young, I always thought the only people who have the right to become saints are priests and nuns who follow the will of the Lord in everyday of their lives. As I've turned pages of stories about saints, I've realized that all of us even an ordinary man or woman, single or married is called to become saints.
Here is another story of sainthood of a wife and mother.

THE STORY OF ST. JANE FRANCES DE CHANTAL

Feast Day: August 12

from Wikipedia

Saint Jane Frances de Chantal (Jeanne-Françoise Frémiot, Baronne de Chantal, 28 January 1572 – 13 December 1641) is a Roman Catholic Saint, who founded a religious order after the death of her husband.

Life [edit]

Jeanne Frances Fremiot was born in Dijon, France on January 28, 1572, the daughter of the royalist President of the Parliament of Burgundy. She married the Baron de Chantal when she was 20 and then lived in the feudal castle of Bourbilly. Baron de Chantal was accidentally killed by a harquebus while out shooting in 1600. Left a widow at twenty-eight, with four children, the broken-hearted baroness took a vow of chastity.^[1] Chantal gained a reputation as an excellent manager of the estates of her husband, as well as of her difficult father in law, while also providing alms and nursing care to needy neighbors.

During Lent in 1604, the pious baronness met Saint Francis de Sales, the bishop of Geneva who was preaching at the Sainte Chapelle in Dijon. They became close friends, and de Sales became her spiritual director. With his support, and that of her father and brother (the Archbishop of Bourges), and after providing for her children, Chantal left for Annecy, to start the Congregation of the Visitation. The Congregation of the Visitation was canonically established at Annecy on Trinity Sunday, 6 June, 1610.^[1] The order accepted women who were rejected by other orders because of poor health or age. During its first eight years, the new order also was unusual in its public outreach, in contrast to most female religious who remained cloistered and adopted strict ascetic practices. When people criticized her, Chantal famously said, "What do you want me to do? I like sick people myself; I'm on their side."

Her reputation for sanctity and sound management resulted in many visits by (and donations from) aristocratic women. The order had 13 houses by the time de Sales died, and 86 before Chantal herself died at the Visitation Convent in Moulins, aged 69. St. Vincent de Paul served as her spiritual director after de Sales' death. Her favorite devotions involved the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Heart of Mary.^[2] Chantal was buried in the Annecy convent next to de Sales.^[1] The order had 164 houses by 1767, when she was canonized. Chantal outlived her son (who died fighting Huguenots and English on the Île de Ré during the century's religious wars) and two of her three daughters, but left extensive correspondence. Her granddaughter also became a famous writer, Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sévigné.

Veneration [edit]

Francis de Sales meets Jane Frances de Chantal, cutout from a window in the cathedral ofAnnecy

She was beatified on 21 November 1751 by Pope Benedict XIV, andcanonized on 16 July 1767 by Pope Clement XIII.

Saint Jane Frances's feast day is now generally celebrated on August 12 in the Roman Catholic Calendar of saints, although since 1969 Europeans often remember her on December 12, which is closer to the anniversary of her death (the traditional feast of St. Lucy).^[3] The move resulted from Pope John Paul II's declaring December 12 the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of theAmericas.^[4] North American Catholics had generally moved this foundress' commemoration to August 18, but in 2009 changed it to August 12.^[5] Traditionalist Catholics who continue to observe pre-1970 calendars celebrate Saint Jane Frances on the 1769-1969 date, August 21.

Writings of Saint Jane Frances [edit]

Francis de Sales and Jane Frances de Chantal, medal 1867

Saint Jane Frances de Chantal wrote some exemplary letters of spiritual direction.^[6]

References [edit]

1. ^ ^a b c Pernin, Raphael. "St. Jane Frances de Chantal." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 2 Feb. 2013
2. ^http://www.piercedhearts.org/theology_heart/life_saints/jane_chantal.htm
3. ^ Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1969), p. 110
4. ^ Decree 2492/01/L of 18 December 2001 of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
5. ^ Newsletter of the USCCB Committee on Divine Worship, May-June 2009, pg. 24
6. ^ Francis de Sales, Jane De Chantal, Letters of Spiritual Direction (Classics of Western Spirituality), translated by Péronne Marie Thibert, V.H.M. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1988.

• St. Jane Frances de Chantal at Saint of the Day
• The Life of Saint Jane Frances de Chantal
• St. Jane Frances de Chantal at Catholic Online
• Saint Jeanne de Chantal at Patron Saints Index
• Saint Jane Frances De Chantal School in North Hollywood, California

from Wikipedia

  

Read More

ST. JOAN OF ARC

I admire saints for their dedication, noble works, unshakable faith, but most of all for their faithfulness to Jesus despite persecution and betrayal. Among them is St. Joan of Arc. At young age, she was able to defend her faith till her death on a burning stake.

THE LIFE OF SAINT JOAN OF ARC

photo credit:

St. Joan of Arc is the patroness of soldiers and of France. On January 6, 1412, Joan of Arc was born to pious parents of the French peasant class, at the obscure village of Domremy, near the province of Lorraine. At a very early age, she heard voices: those of St. Michael, St. Catherine and St. Margaret.

At first the messages were personal and general. Then at last came the crowning order. In May, 1428, her voices "of St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret" told Joan to go to the King of France and help him reconquer his kingdom. For at that time the English king was after the throne of France, and the Duke of Burgundy, the chief rival of the French king, was siding with him and gobbling up evermore French territory.

After overcoming opposition from churchmen and courtiers, the seventeen year old girl was given a small army with which she raised the seige of Orleans on May 8, 1429. She then enjoyed a series of spectacular military successes, during which the King was able to enter Rheims and be crowned with her at his side.

In May 1430, as she was attempting to relieve Compiegne, she was captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English when Charles and the French did nothing to save her. After months of imprisonment, she was tried at Rouen by a tribunal presided over

by the infamous Peter Cauchon,Bishop of Beauvais, who hoped that the English would help him to become archbishop.

Through her unfamiliarity with the technicalities of theology, Joan was trapped into making a few damaging statements. When she refused to retract the assertion that it was the saints of God who had commanded her to do what she had done, she was condemned to death as a heretic, sorceress, and adulteress, and burned at the stake on May 30, 1431. She was nineteen years old. Some thirty years later, she was exonerated of all guilt and she was ultimately canonized in 1920, making official what the people had known for centuries. Her feast day is May 30.

Joan was canonized in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV.

Read More

STS. PERPETUA & FELICITY

As I've started mentioning saints I've known during high school days, I would like to recall STS. PERPETUA & FELICITY . The truth is I've only heard about St. Perpetua before, since the dorm next to us was named after her. I didn't know that both of them were two heroines of faith on the same generation and on the same place. To know more about them, please read their story.

THE LIFE OF STS. PERPETUA & FELICITY

Feast Day: March 7

photo credit:

Saints Perpetua and Felicity were martyrs who died for the faith around the year 203.

St. Perpetua was a young, well-educated, noblewoman and mother living in the city of Carthage in North Africa. Her mother was a Christian and her father was a pagan. In terms of her faith, Perpetua followed the example of her mother. Despite the pleas of her father to deny her faith, Perpetua did the very opposite, and fearlessly proclaimed it. At the age of 22, she was imprisoned for her faith. While in prison she continued to care for her infant child and put up with the tortures designed to make her renounce her faith. Perpetua remained steadfast until the end. St. Perpetua was sacrificed at the games as a public spectacle for not renouncing her faith.

St. Felicity was a pregnant slave girl who was imprisoned with St. Perpetua. Little is known about the life of St. Felicity because, unlike Perpetua, she did not keep a diary of her life. After imprisonment and torture, Felicity was also condemned to die at the games. Only a few days before her execution, Felicity gave birth to a daughter who was secretly taken away to be cared for by some of the Faithful.

A more detailed story of these two saints with the diary of St. Perpetua is can be read in The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas . 

An anime in honor of St. Perpetua was also created. Please watch. 

Read More

ST. VERENA

During my highschool years in The Sisters of Mary School in Sta. Mesa Manila, we used to live in a dorm named after different saints. Some saints were familiar to me but some were not. Ours was unfamiliar to many. Our dorm was named after St. Verena. I didn't learn so much about her and today, I've decided to get familiarized with her. I will be happy to share this also to my former doormates. For sure, they will be glad too.

THE LIFE OF ST. VERENA

Feast Day: September 1

from Wikipedia

St. Verena

Verena is venerated as a saint by the Coptic Orthodox Church, by the Roman Catholic Church, and by the Eastern Orthodox Church. According to tradition, she was associated with the Theban Legion and died on the 4th day of Thout(September 14).

Tradition states that she was brought up in the 3rd century in the Theban region (modern day Luxor in Upper Egypt) in a noble Christian family, who handed her over to Bishop Sherimon, Bishop of Beni Suef, who in turn taught her and baptized her as a Christian.

Travel to Switzerland [edit]

According to tradition, Saint Verena joined the Theban Legion in its mission to Rhaetia (part of modern day Switzerland) and was a relative of Saint Victor of the Theban Legion. The soldiers' relatives were allowed to accompany them in order to look after them and take care of their wounds.

When Saint Maurice, Saint Victor and the other members of the Theban Legion were martyred, Saint Verena led the life of a hermit. First, she settled in a place called Solothurn, but later moved into a cave near present-day Zurich. She comes from Garagous village, Qous, Qena, Egypt. As a hermit, Verena fasted and prayed continuously. According to tradition, she performed several miracles. Verena was particularly concerned over young girls and used to look after them spiritually and physically, due to her expertise as a nurse.

As a result of her fame, legend states that the local governor arrested her and sent her to jail, where Saint Maurice appeared to her to console and strengthen her. She was released from jail, and continued to perform miracles. Due to her, many converted to Christianity. Saint Verena was interested in serving the poor and used to offer them food. Moreover, she enjoyed serving the sick, especially those suffering from leprosy. She used to wash their wounds and put ointments on them, not fearing infection. She died at Switzerland.

Return of Part of relics to Egypt[edit]

In 1986, a delegation from Saint Verena’s Church in Switzerland, brought to Egypt a part of Saint Verena’s relics.

The first Coptic church consecrated in the name of Saint Verena is Saint Maurice and Saint Verena’s Church in Cairo, which was consecrated by HH Pope Shenouda III on February 22, 1994.

In October 2004, a delegation from Saint Verena's (Saint Mary & Saint Verena's) Coptic Church in Anaheim, California in the United States of America, along with His Grace Bishop Serapion of Los Angeles and Fr. Joseph Boules, traveled to Switzerland to bring a part of Saint Verena's relics to Anaheim. Her church in Anaheim now has a museum dedicated to her relics and artifacts.

Read More